CNC machines can make parts right 'the first time,' thanks to Beckman Award winner John Ziegert

摘要

When programming a computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine to make a metal part that will be mass-produced, for example a golf club head or bicycle pedal, the manufacturer can usually afford to make some mistakes and toss a few parts in the dumpster until the CNC machine is programmed exactly right to cut the desired shape. However, in applications such as aerospace, where planes and spaceships are not mass-produced, a single engine part can cost dollar50,000 to dollar100,000, or more. Manufacturers such as Boeing cannot afford to waste even a few parts. "They need to get it right the first time," said Dr. John Ziegert, professor and Timken Chair in Design and Development at Clemson University. In 1993, Ziegert and a college graduate student he was mentoring at the University of Florida invented a device that enables parts to be machined with sub-micron accuracy "the first time."